Image forming apparatus having a recessed part in outer covering

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body having an image forming part that forms an image by scanning a recording head discharging droplets of a recording liquid. A paper eject part is located in an upper portion of the apparatus body for stacking recording papers having the image formed thereon by the image forming part. An image reading part is located above the paper eject part. The apparatus body accommodates a maintenance and recovery mechanism and a waste discharge receiving part therein on both ends of a scanning range of the recording head. An outer covering of the apparatus body has a shape in which a portion corresponding to at least one of the maintenance and recovery mechanism and the waste discharge receiving part is recessed relative to other portions of the outer covering.

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
 an apparatus body having an image forming part that forms an image by scanning a recording head discharging droplets of a recording liquid; 
 a paper eject part located in an upper portion of said apparatus body for stacking recording papers having the image formed thereon by said image forming part, the paper eject part being located above said recording head; 
 an image reading part located above said paper eject part; 
 an engine unit including the recording head and a maintenance and recovery mechanism configured to maintain and recover a performance of said recording head, 
 the engine unit including the image forming part and a sub-scanning part which are incorporated into a single unit; 
 a waste discharge receiving part configured to receive the droplets that do not contribute formation of the image; 
 an eject paper conveyance part provided on a downstream side of the engine unit in a paper conveyance direction perpendicular to a scanning direction of the recording head; 
 an ink cartridge attaching part provided under the eject paper conveyance part and configured for an ink cartridge to be detachably attached thereto; 
 a right front cover provided at a position corresponding to the engine unit and configured to be opened and closed, to allow the engine unit, including the image forming part and the sub-scanning part which are incorporated into the single unit, to be assembled to the apparatus body; and 
 a left front cover provided at a position corresponding to the ink cartridge attaching part and configured to be opened and closed in order to replace the ink cartridge, 
 wherein when viewed from above, the right front cover corresponding to the waste discharge receiving part of the engine unit projects relative to the left front cover, and the left front cover corresponding to the ink cartridge attaching part is retracted relative to the right front cover, and 
 wherein said apparatus body accommodates said maintenance and recovery mechanism and said waste discharge receiving part therein on both ends of a scanning range of said recording head. 
 
   
   
     2. The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said maintenance and recovery mechanism and said waste discharge receiving part are located on opposite end sides of said apparatus body in a front-to-rear direction thereof. 
   
   
     3. The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein a paper supply cassette for accommodating the recording papers therein is detachably attached under said image forming part in said apparatus body, and an outer configuration of said paper supply cassette has a slanting part when viewed from a side, the slanting part slanting rearward from a relatively protruded part of a front face of said paper supply cassette, the relatively protruded part corresponding to at least one of said maintenance and recovery mechanism and said waste discharge receiving part. 
   
   
     4. The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein a backside of said apparatus body is formed in a curved shape. 
   
   
     5. The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a paper supply cassette for accommodating the recording papers therein is detachably attached under said image forming part in said apparatus body, and an outer configuration of said paper supply cassette has a slanting part when viewed from a side, the slanting part slanting rearward from a relatively protruded part of a front face of said paper supply cassette, the relatively protruded part corresponding to at least one of said maintenance and recovery mechanism and said waste discharge receiving part. 
   
   
     6. The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein a backside of said apparatus body is formed in a curved shape. 
   
   
     7. The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an operation part located above said paper eject part and on a front side of said apparatus body, wherein said operation part has a substantially flat shape in which a part of a front edge thereof is recessed rearward. 
   
   
     8. The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein said operation part is configured and arranged to be tilted to face forward, and said paper eject part has a shape lowered toward a paper eject opening from which the recording papers are ejected. 
   
   
     9. The image forming apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an operation part located above said paper eject part and on a front side of said apparatus body, wherein said operation part is configured and arranged to be tilted to face forward, and said paper eject part has a shape lowered toward a paper eject opening from which the recording papers are ejected.